1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to military and law enforcement high-power air (gas) pressure waves, vortex-ring gas pressure waves, gas pressure wave generators, and propagation.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Non-lethal (NL) weapons are being developed for use in controlling and/or isolating personnel, incapacitating personnel, seizing personnel, and for crowd control. Air pressure waves affect personnel through propagation in the air, resonant coupling onto body organs, and blunt impulses. Also, chemical (both lethal and NL) agents and markers may be precision-delivered to personnel using air pressure waves such as a vortex-ring by trapping the chemical agents and markers in the wave packet and dispensing them in the direct vicinity of the targeted personnel by direct impact with the target. Target effects may vary from a noticeable response, an uncomfortable response, incapacitation, injury, and death.
Many varieties of NL weapons are being considered, designed, and built for antipersonnel applications. These weapons have characteristics aimed at accomplishing a certain function. For example, a vortex-ring generator is suited for delivering air impulses over a large area of the body, and chemical agents, and markers onto targeted personnel with precision and accuracy. On the other hand, a sponge grenade or a bean bag is suited for delivering a blunt impact over a small area of the body with precision and accuracy at ranges out to 50-m. The choice of the NL technology used is scenario and objective dependent. Of extreme importance is the range from source to target. Air pressure wave generators (APWGS) will be most effectively used at source to target ranges less than about 100-m due to a number of reasons. Several of these reasons are size and weight constraints for the APWG, chemical agent and marker spillage during propagation, and atmospheric attenuation and dispersion due to wind, rain, snow, and etc. Crosswind dispersal and wind gust shattering can cause spillage and the air pressure wave (APW) and its chemical agents and markers to miss the target. The atmospheric considerations are extremely important in APW propagation; therefore, it is highly desirable to place the APWG as close to the target as possible and feasible in order to minimize energy loss and chemical spillage. This can be accomplished by flying the APWG on air platforms i.e., airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or by transporting the APWG around on platforms trucks, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and robotic platforms. Another technique is to use a chemical explosion to generate and place APWGs in the vicinity of the target. This technique is inexpensive and does not require an air, ground, or sea platform to transport the APWG.